Image print system for printing a picture from an additional information affixed image file

ABSTRACT

An image print system for printing a picture from an image file having additional information, which enables high-quality image printing to be achieved using various types of image data and their additional information. Image data obtained by taking subjects are sent, together with their additional information, to an image reproduction system in a photographic laboratory. The image reproduction system carries out processing of the image data in accordance with the additional information, and produces its resultant images in the form of image prints. The additional information includes post-processing information for temporally or spatially correlating a series of images to combine them or to select some of them.

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/052,947,filed on Apr. 1, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,597,468, the entire contentsof which are hereby incorporated by reference and for which priority isclaimed under 35 U.S.C. §120; and this application claims priority ofApplication Nos. 98392/1997 filed in Japan on Apr. 1, 1997 and83792/1997 filed in Japan on Apr. 2, 1997 under 35 U.S.C. §119.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image print system for printingstill pictures from an image file having additional information, whichfile contains image data representing the still images and additionalinformation representing characteristics of the image data.

2. Description of the Background Art

An electronic digital still camera (DS camera), for example, records ona recording medium like an IC (integrated circuit) memory card not onlyimages in the form of digital data, but also additional informationrepresenting characteristics of photographed images such as exposure,color filter information about the image pickup device. For example,Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 75922/1993 assigned to thesame assignee as that of the present application discloses aphotosensitive film with an additional information recording area, whichhas magnetic strips formed on a silver-halide photosensitive film forrecording the additional information as in an advanced photograph system(APS). Besides, an enhanced APS is proposed which comprises a filmcartridge including an IC memory in which the additional information isto be recorded.

In addition, a system is also proposed which implements various imageoperations like image composition using such additional informationrecorded on the image file. For example, Japanese patent application No.35781/1996 filed in the name of the same assignee as that of the presentapplication discloses an image composite apparatus for combining desiredimages into a template image using the additional information. Since theDS (digital still)camera stores the image in the digital form, the usercan achieve the image operation or processing by himself or herself withthe DS camera itself or a personal computer. To obtain higherresolution, beautiful finish color pictures such as those printed onpostal cards, it is preferable to request to a specialist like a photolaboratory. For example, Japanese patent application No. 35780/1996filed in the name of the same assignee as that of the presentapplication discloses an image filing system which converts, in alaboratory of specialists, images into digital image data, and storesthem on an image data recording medium like an magneto-optical disk.

In the state of the art, solid-state image pickup devices like a CCD(charge-coupled device) employed in the DS cameras, for example, have arather narrow dynamic range. The DS cameras employing a memory card as arecording medium of the image data, however, have an advantage of beingable to rewrite image data on the memory card many times. Besides,diversification of the image recording system and recording media makesit possible to use various types of recording media from silver-halidephotosensitive film to magnetic recording media and optical recordingmedia. In addition, the environment for processing the image data andadditional information is also growing diversified such that users canprocess the image data or add the additional information using personalcomputers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the state of the art described above, an object of thepresent invention is to provide an image print system capable ofachieving high quality image printing from an image file havingadditional information with various types of image data and theiradditional information utilized.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided animage print system for printing a picture from an image file havingadditional information, wherein the image print system receives imagedata obtained by taking a subject, and additional information associatedwith the image data; carries out processing of the image data inaccordance with the additional information; and produces in the form ofa visible image an image represented by the image data which haveundergone the processing.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is providedan image print system for printing a picture from an image file havingadditional information, comprising: an input device for receiving imagedata obtained by taking a subject, and additional information associatedwith the image data; an image processor connected to the input devicefor carrying out processing of the image data in accordance with theadditional information; and an output device for producing in the formof a visible image an image represented by the image data which haveundergone the processing.

Here, the additional information may include correlation information fortemporally or spatially correlating image data of a plurality of images,and the image processor may carry out at least one of selecting andcombining of image data of the plurality of images designated by thecorrelation information.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method of printing a picture from an image file havingadditional information, comprising the steps of: capturing an image of asubject to generate image data representing the image of the subject;generating additional information associated with the image data;transferring the image data together with the additional information toan image reproduction system; processing by the image reproductionsystem the image data in accordance with the additional informationtransferred; and producing in the form of a visible image an imagerepresented by the image data which have been processed by the imagereproduction system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the present invention will become moreapparent from consideration of the following detailed description takenin conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram schematically showing an embodimentof an image reproduction system, intended for laboratory use, of animage print system for producing pictures from an image file havingadditional information in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram schematically showing an embodimentincluding a user side personal computer of an image print system inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a structure of an image file in theembodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows how FIGS. 4A and 4B are combined;

FIGS. 4A and 4B show, when combined as shown in FIG. 4, in the form of atable an example of additional information in the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is useful for understanding composition of multiple images in theembodiment;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are graphs useful for understanding examples of a widedynamic range image composition in the embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a graph useful for understanding a composition of imagesphotographed with altering exposure in the embodiment;

FIG. 10 schematically illustrates a panoramic composition in theembodiment; and

FIG. 11 schematically illustrates a stroboscopic action composition inthe embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of an image reproduction system 10 inaccordance with the present invention is intended for the photographlaboratory use of an image print system for printing pictures from animage file having additional information. The system 10 is adapted toread image data and additional information from one of image recordingmedia 12, reproduce an image represented by the image data in accordancewith the additional information, and print the reproduced image onrecording paper in the form of a photographic print 14. It is preferablethat the image reproduction system 10 be installed in a laboratory ofcommercial specialists. The system 10 in the embodiment comprises arecording medium reader 16 for reading the image data and additionalinformation; an image processor 18 for processing the image data inaccordance with the additional information thus read in; and a digitalphotographic printer 20 that is adapted to reproduce an imagerepresented by the image data processed, and print it in the form of aphotographic print 14 as a visible image.

Various types of image recording media are applicable as the imagerecording media 12 of the image reproduction system 10. For example,from a DS camera (electronic digital still camera) 22 in FIG. 2, imagerecording media are provided in the form of an IC (integrated circuit)memory card 24. The IC memory card 24 has a plurality of memory areas26, each including a tag area 28 and image data area 30 as shown in FIG.3. The tag area or field 28 stores the additional information as will bedescribed later, and the image data area or field 30 stores the imagedata for each picture. The image data can be either compressed or not.In the specification, data or signals are designated with the referencenumerals which are directed to fields or connections which contain orconvey the data or signals.

Returning now to FIG. 2, the image recording media 12 include an APSfilm 32 with the additional information, which is applicable to theforegoing APS system. As is well-known, the APS film 32 contains theimages shot by an APS camera 34, and the additional information such asexposure data, which is associated with the images and recorded on themagnetic stripes, not shown, formed on the film. The APS film 32 isdeveloped in a laboratory, held in a cartridge 32 and is handed to itsuser. The APS film 32 is set in the recording medium reader 16 of theimage reproduction system 10.

The APS film 32 can be either a film type with the magnetic stripes asdescribed above or an enhanced APS type in which an IC memory area forrecording the additional information is provided in the film cartridge.The present specification refers to either of them as an additionalinformation affixed photographic film, or simply as an APS film.

The present image reproduction system 10 can also handle a negative orpositive film 38 provided by a conventional silver-halide photosensitivefilm camera 36. A film 38 produced by the film camera 36 is developed inthe laboratory, and handed to a user. Its visible images are read in andconverted into digital data through a user's processing system such as apersonal computer system 40, and the digital data are recorded with theadditional information in a large-capacity recording medium 42 like amagnetic recording medium in the format of an image file 26.

As shown in FIG. 2, the personal computer system 40 generally comprises,a personal computer 48, a film scanner 44 for reading the visible imagescarried on the film 38; and a recording medium reader/writer 46 forreading the image data and additional information recorded on the imagerecording media 12 and for writing on them the image data and additionalinformation generated by the personal computer system 40. The filmscanner 44 and recording medium reader/writer 46 are controlled by thepersonal computer 48. The personal computer 48, in response to theoperation of the user, stores the digital image data in the IC memorycard 24 or large-capacity recording medium 42, forms the additionalinformation, and stores it in the IC memory card 24, large-capacityrecording medium 42 or the magnetic recording area, not shown, on theAPS film 32.

In the instant embodiment, a camera such as the DS camera 22 or APScamera 34 takes a plurality of images which may correlate in time orspace. The image file holds as the additional information 28 theinformation instructing the way to handle these images. For example, theimage data undergo image processing like composition based on theadditional information when reproducing or printing a picture from theimage file. The term “still image” used in the specification refers to aplurality of images having temporal correlation as well as individualimages. The term “image file” refers to not only a file of the digitaldata, but also files of various forms such as the film 38 including theimage data and additional information 28 in the analog form as can beseen from the foregoing description.

Although the input is provided to the image reproduction system 10through the image recording media 12 in the present embodiment, it canbe achieved without using such individual media. For example, theinvention can be effectively applied to a system which is adapted toreceive the image data and additional information over atelecommunications channel.

The additional information recorded in the tag area 28 includes theinformation as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, which can be generally referredto as information representing image characteristics. Specifically, thetag area or field 28 includes information 50 effective in improvingpicture quality, information 52 effective in correcting picture quality,information 54 for improving picture quality in post-processing andinformation 56 effective in setting up a printer. Among these, thepresent invention particularly relates to the post-processing, that is,the information 54 for improving picture quality in post-processing inthe image reproduction system 10 in the laboratory. The latterinformation 54 falls roughly into information for performing widedynamic range (DR) processing; information for the image reproductionsystem 10 to process the image data as they are output from the imagepickup device; and information for the image reproduction system 10 toselect a plurality of images taken with altering the exposureconditions.

According to the present embodiment, none of users of the cameras, evenof the DS camera 22, generally, carry out the image processing.Specifically, although a user can perform the normal signal processingsuch as gray level correction with the DS camera 22, the imageprocessing associated with the information 54 for improving picturequality in post-processing is usually carried out in the imagereproduction system 10 in the laboratory. For this purpose, the presentinvention utilizes the additional information 28 which can be generatedby the DS camera 22 or APS camera 34, or produced or handled by the userwith the personal computer system 40. The information is provided forthe laboratory along with the image data in the form of the imagerecording media 12 to be input to the image reproduction system 10.

In the present embodiment, the information for the wide dynamic rangeprocessing consists of the additional information which includesinformation indicating that two pictures are taken by the DS camera 22for the same scene at different sensitivities, and frame information foridentifying the two pictures. The wide dynamic range processing mergeslow-sensitivity and high-sensitivity images into a single image. Two ormore images may be combined into one or more images as well. Suchadditional information is generated by the DS camera 22, and recorded inthe tag area 28 of the IC memory card 24 such that it corresponds to theimage. The APS camera 34 also generates the additional information, andrecords it on the APS film 32. Alternatively, the personal computer 48can generate the additional information by reading the IC memory card 24or APS film 32 set on the recording medium reader/writer 46, and byrecording the additional data on the IC memory card 24 or APS film 32 insuch a manner that it corresponds to the image data. It may also bestored in the large-capacity recording medium 42. In particular, twoimages taken by the photosensitive film camera 36 are read by the filmscanner 44, converted into image data by the personal computer 48, andstored in the large-capacity recording medium 42 along with theadditional information which indicates that the two images are taken atdifferent sensitivities, and which includes their image frameinformation.

The image recording media 12 thus holding the additional information 28is brought into a laboratory, and is set on the recording medium reader16 in the image reproduction system 10 so that the image reproductionsystem 10 reads out the image data from the image data area 30 and theadditional information from the tag area 28. The image processor 18identifies the couple of associated images from the additionalinformation 28, and combines them to a single image. FIG. 5schematically illustrates the general process for combining N imagesinto a single image 58, where N is a natural number greater than one.The image 58 is printed out in the form of photographic print 14 throughthe digital photographic printer 20. Here, a laboratory refers to aninstitute such as a photo-developing-printing shop for commercialspecialists of photographic or image processing.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the image pickup device of the DS camera 22 isset at the low sensitivity, its luminance level is plotted as the curve100, whereas when it is set at the high sensitivity, the luminance levelis plotted as the curve 102. Receiving the image data of the framesdesignated by the additional information 28, the image processor 18multiplies or compresses the high sensitivity distribution curve 102,and combines it with the low sensitivity distribution curve 100, therebyproducing the image with a composite curve 104 as shown in FIG. 7. Theimage processor 18 compresses the dynamic range of the image to generatethe single image 58 with a luminance distribution 106 as shown in FIG.8. The image 58 is output from the digital photographic printer 20 asthe print 14.

The user can have the personal computer system 40 read out the twowide-dynamic range images, and have a display unit, not shown, displaythem to make a simulation of their composition. In this case, thecomposite condition of the images, that is, the additional informationof the two original images is recorded on the image recording media 12along with their image data, and is provided to the personal computersystem 40. Using the high resolution of the personal computer system 40makes it possible to provide a high-quality photographic print 14.

With the image reproduction system 10, one can select, by using theadditional information 28, any of the plurality of image frames #1-#N,FIG. 5, taken with altering the exposure conditions. For example, aplurality of under-exposure and over-exposure images around a correctexposure are taken by a single shutter release of an electronic stillcamera, APS camera 34 or photosensitive film camera 36, which has afunction of sequential shooting. The exposure of cameras varies owing tothe accuracy of their metering systems, to the control accuracy of theirshutters and irises, or to forward-light, back-light and high or lowcontrast scenes. It is possible for an operator to select an optimumframe at the printing, or for a printer with a high accuracy automaticsetup function to automatically select the optimum one. Alternatively,the operator selects the optimum frame by checking on the personalcomputer.

Thus, the additional information indicating that a series of images istaken by altering the exposure in a certain range is acquired, andstored in association with the image data. In the image reproductionsystem 10, the image processor 18 processes such image data associatedwith the additional information, and the resultant picture is outputfrom the printer 20.

As shown in FIG. 5, for example, one image close to the median isselected from among the series of images #1-#N taken by altering theexposure condition within the certain range. The image processor 18makes a line graph, or histogram, representing accumulations of thesorted luminance levels appearing on the series of images #1-#N, whichis shown in FIG. 9. An image under a correct exposure condition has acurve close to the curve 110. However, the curve 112 is obtained in theunder-exposure condition, and the curve 114 is obtained in theover-exposure condition. These image data are passed through theauto-setup function of the image processor 18 so that an appropriategray level correction value is derived. Under the appropriate exposure,a few levels in the darkest or brightest section are within about 5% ofthe sum total. The image processor 18 selects one of the series of theimages #1-#N, which has a value close to the appropriate gray levelcorrection value, carries out its appropriate correction, and prints itout from the printer 20. Since the DS camera 22 usually has a narrowdynamic range, a high quality photographic print 14 can be obtained bycarrying out the foregoing selection or composition of the images notwith the DS camera 22 but with the image reproduction system 10 in thelaboratory.

A panoramic composite photograph can also be produced by the imagereproduction system 10 using the additional information 28. A pluralityof photographs #1-#N are taken by the camera 22, for example, withrotating it so that respective frames panoramically overlap a little.The camera 22 records, as the additional information 28, an indicationthat the photographs are panoramically taken, and the informationdesignating associated frames and their sequence. The image reproductionsystem 10 arranges the images in the order of shooting in accordancewith the additional information 28 as shown in FIG. 10, carries outcorrelation operation between the overlapped portions, and combines themso that the correlation coefficients become maximum, thereby producing apanoramic photograph 60, in which case, margins of the photograph 60 maybe cut out.

The DS camera 22 with a panoramic function can include in its controlcircuit a panoramic control function that detects an overlapped portionbetween the object images of the present and preceding scenes using theimage data functioning as a finder in the image pickup device, andreleases the shutter of the camera 22 when the ratio of the overlappedportion to the entire area becomes a particular value.

The camera 22 with a sequential shooting function, for example, can alsoachieve stroboscopic action composition processing. The series of theimages #1-#N so far relates to a spatial composition of the images. Incontrast with this, the stroboscopic action composition relates to atemporal composition of the images #1-#N.

For example, the motion of a golf swing or the like is shot sequentiallyin a single shutter release. In this case, the camera 22 records, as theadditional information 28, designation information for identifying eachone of a series of the images #1-#N from the beginning to the end of theshooting, and designation information indicative of their sequence andthe fact that they are associated with the stroboscopic actioncomposition. The image reproduction system 10 arranges the series of theimages #1-#N in the order of shooting in accordance with the additionalinformation 28, and prints them out in the form of a single continuousphotograph 62 as shown in FIG. 11. Alternatively, they may undergomultiple print as shown in FIG. 5, that is, printed in the form of thecomposite photograph 58. In this case, the image processor 18 calculatesthe differences between the adjacent image data of the series of images#1-#N, and superimposes them into one image by summing up the absolutevalues of the differences. The superimposed image 58 can includeinvariant scene like a background by merging a particular image, theimage data of the final frame #N, for example, in its entirety.

The output image, such as a image 14, may be directly supplied to theprinter 20 as in the present embodiment. In addition, or alternativelyto this, an output image can be displayed on the screen of an imagemonitor like a CRT, not shown, of the image processor 18. Instead ofthis, before printing in the image reproduction system 10, the user canconfirm the composite result on the monitor screen of the personalcomputer system 40 by generating it through the image processing in thesystem in accordance with the additional information 28. In this case,it is possible for the additional information 28 to include, if anyadditional processing is required of the personal computer system 40,data such as conditions for specifying the additional processing.

It is important to note that even in the case where the image data arethus processed by the personal computer system 40, the image data aretransferred to the image reproduction system 10 in the form as they aretaken by the camera 22 in the present embodiment. The additionalinformation includes various information about processings and imagepickup schemes so that the image reproduction system 10 can carry outthe image composition. This enables the image reproduction system 10 toproduce a high-quality print 14 with maintaining the resolution at thetime the images are taken. Although it is very difficult for thepersonal computer system 40 to produce a high-resolution image throughcomposition, the instant embodiment can reproduce the print 14 with ahigh resolution matching that at the image shooting because thededicated image reproduction system 10 processes the images on the basisof the additional information. In other words, the image data outputfrom the image pickup device can undergo the image processing by theimage reproduction system 10 just as they are output therefrom.

Using the series of the images #1-#N photographed at nearly the sametime in connection with their additional information 28 enables theimage reproduction system 10 to select a desired image to be printedout. For example, it serves to select a most photogenic portrait withoutclosing eyes or a red eye from among the series of the images #1-#N. Ina precious photographic chance which would never come again, severalframes are shot with the same subject. Alternatively, in a camera withthe function to shoot a plurality of images of the same subject in asingle shutter release, the additional information 28 indicating thatthe image data are associated with the same subject is recorded inconnection with the image data. The image reproduction system 10reproduces the images on the monitor screen so that the optimum image isselected and printed. Instead, while the monitor of the personalcomputer system 40 reproduces the series of the images #1-#N, theoptimum image can be selected and the additional information indicativeof that image is recorded. Using its automatic decision function, theimage processor 18 can achieve selection of the optimum image byremoving such as red eye images or by correcting such portions.

In summary, the DS camera 22 is provided with a mode selection switch,not shown, for selecting one of the processing modes such as widedynamic range processing, panoramic image composition processing andstroboscopic action processing, which are described above. An operatortakes a photograph after selecting a desired processing mode with theswitch. Depressing the shutter release button of the camera 22 causes aplurality of images to be sequentially taken in response to the selectedmode. At the same time, the selected mode is recorded in the image file26 as the additional information 28 indicative of the way the images areto be processed or combined.

The image recording media 12 such as the IC memory 24 like a PC card, onwhich the image file 26 are thus recorded, are accepted at a specialtystore and is sent to a laboratory so that the image reproduction system10 therein makes a decision of the images associated with each other inaccordance with the instruction of the additional information 28, andprocesses and combines them. After combining them into a single image,the digital photographic printer 20 prints it. The print 14 is handed tothe customer at the store.

Although the print 14 is produced directly from the image recordingmedia 12 in the foregoing example, the system may be adapted to allowthe personal computer system 40 to read out the image data 30 andadditional information 28, to process and compose them in accordancewith the instructions of the additional information 28, and to have thecomposite result displayed on the image monitor confirmed as to whetherit satisfies desired conditions. In addition, the system may also beadapted to correct the additional information 28 or to attach newadditional information, such as instructions about a new processing ordesignation of a new printing condition. In any case, it is only theadditional information 28 that is subjected to the correction oraddition before being sent to the image reproduction system 10. Even ifthe image data are processed by the personal computer system 40 for thepurpose of confirmation, the original image data 30 as they arephotographed by the camera 22 are sent to the image reproduction system10.

That is the case with the APS camera 34. More specifically, the APScamera 34 is also provided with a mode selection switch, not shown, forselecting one of the processing modes such as the wide dynamic rangeprocessing, panoramic image composition processing and stroboscopicaction processing, which are described above. An operator manipulatesthe mode selector switch to select a desired processing mode, and thentakes a subject. Depressing the shutter release button of the camera 34causes a plurality of frames of image to be sequentially taken in theselected mode. At the same time, data representing the selected mode ismagnetically recorded on the magnetic recording stripes, specifically,on the index (IX) information recording area, not shown, of the APS film32 as the additional information 28 that indicates the way the imagesare to be processed or combined. The additional information 28 togetherwith the image on the APS film 32 constitutes the image file 26. In anapplication of the APS camera 34 which uses a film cartridge with the ICmemory, i.e. the enhanced APS camera, the additional information 28 isstored in the IC memory. The processing following this may be the sameas in the case of the DS camera 22.

The visible image recorded on the APS film 32 can be read into thepersonal computer system 40 with the recording medium reader/writer 46such as an APS film scanner, and be handled as digital data. Theprocessing following this may be the same as in the case of the DScamera 22. To the image reproduction system 10, transferred is not thedigital image data thus processed by the personal computer, but the APSfilm 32.

The visible image 38 already produced in the form of a negative film ora print can be read into the personal computer system 40 using the filmscanner 44, and be handled as digital data. More specifically, thepersonal computer system 40 processes and combines them, and after theoperator confirms them on the monitor screen, the additional information28 is generated. The additional information 28 is recorded in thelarge-capacity recording medium 42 like a floppy disk, and is sent tothe image reproduction system 10 together with the film 38. Theprocessing following this may be the same as in the case of the DScamera 22.

According to the present invention, the image data output from the imagepickup device can be provided to the image reproduction system as theyare taken, and undergo the image processing in accordance with theadditional information. The present invention therefore provides animage print system which can produce a high-quality photograph printfrom an image file having additional information, using various types ofthe image data and the additional information associated therewith.

The entire disclosures of Japanese patent applications Nos. 98392/1997and 83792/1997 filed on Apr. 1 and 2, 1997, respectively, including thespecifications, claims, accompanying drawings and abstracts of thedisclosure are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

While the present invention has been described with reference to theparticular illustrative embodiments, it is not to be restricted by thoseembodiments. It is to be appreciated that those skilled in the art canchange or modify the embodiments without departing from the scope andspirit of the present invention.

1. A method of printing an image, comprising the steps of: preparing animage file including image data representative of a plurality of imagescaptured by a camera and additional information which is generated bythe camera and temporally or spatially correlates the image data of athe plurality of images with each other; combining the image data of theplurality of images correlated by said additional information with eachother; and producing a visible image from said combined image data,wherein said step of preparing includes preparing the image datarepresentative of said plurality of images by taking continuoussubjects, and wherein said step of combining includes combining theimage data of said plurality of images correlated by the additionalinformation to form a panoramic image.
 2. A method of printing an image,comprising the steps of: preparing an image file including image datarepresentative of a plurality of images captured by a camera andadditional information which is generated by the camera and temporallyor spatially correlates the image data of a the plurality of images witheach other; combining the image data of the plurality of imagescorrelated by said additional information with each other; and producinga visible image from said combined image data, wherein said step ofpreparing includes preparing the image data representative of saidplurality of images by taking a subject consecutively, and wherein saidstep of combining includes superimposing the image data of saidplurality of images correlated by said additional information to form asingle picture.
 3. A method of printing an image, comprising the stepsof: preparing an image file including image data representative of aplurality of images captured by a camera and additional informationwhich is generated by the camera and temporally or spatially correlatesthe image data of a the plurality of images with each other; combiningthe image data of the plurality of images correlated by said additionalinformation with each other; and producing a visible image from saidcombined image data, wherein said step of preparing includes preparingthe image data representative of said plurality of images by taking asubject with different dynamic ranges, and wherein said step ofcombining includes combining the image data of said plurality of imagescorrelated by said additional information to form an image with adynamic range broader than each of said different dynamic ranges.
 4. Animage print system, comprising: an input device for receiving image dataand additional information from an image file prepared by a camera, saidimage data being representative of a plurality of images captured by thecamera, the additional information being generated by the camera andtemporally or spatially correlating the image data of the plurality ofimages with each other; an image processor connected to said inputdevice for processing said image data in accordance with said additionalinformation, said processor combining the image data of said pluralityof images correlated by said additional information with each other; andan output device for producing a visible image from said processed andcombined image data, wherein said input device receives said image datarepresentative of said plurality of images by taking continuoussubjects, said processor combining the image data of said plurality ofimages correlated by said additional information to form a panoramicimage.
 5. An image print system, comprising: an input device forreceiving image data and additional information from an image fileprepared by a camera, said image data being representative of aplurality of images captured by the camera, the additional informationbeing generated by the camera and temporally or spatially correlatingthe image data of the plurality of images with each other; an imageprocessor connected to said input device for processing said image datain accordance with said additional information, said processor combiningthe image data of said plurality of images correlated by said additionalinformation with each other; and an output device for producing avisible image from said processed and combined image data, wherein saidinput device receives said image data representative of said pluralityof images by taking a subject consecutively, said processorsuperimposing the image data of said plurality of images correlated bysaid additional information to form a single picture.
 6. An image printsystem, comprising: an input device for receiving image data andadditional information from an image file prepared by a camera, saidimage data being representative of a plurality of images captured by thecamera, the additional information being generated by the camera andtemporally or spatially correlating the image data of the plurality ofimages with each other; an image processor connected to said inputdevice for processing said image data in accordance with said additionalinformation, said processor combining the image data of said pluralityof images correlated by said additional information with each other; andan output device for producing a visible image from said processed andcombined image data, wherein said input device receives said image datarepresentative of said plurality of images by taking a subject withdifferent dynamic ranges, said processor combining the image data ofsaid plurality of images correlated by said additional information toform an image with a dynamic range broader than each of said differentdynamic ranges.
 7. A method of printing a picture from an image filehaving additional information, said method comprising the steps of:capturing a plurality of images by a camera to generate image datarepresenting the plurality of images; generating by the cameraadditional information which temporally or spatially correlates theimage data of said plurality of images with each other; transferringsaid image data and said additional information to an image reproductionsystem; combining the image data of said plurality of images correlatedby said additional information transferred with each other; andproducing a visible image from said combined image data, wherein saidstep of capturing includes preparing the image data representative ofsaid plurality of images by taking continuous subjects, and said step ofcombining includes combining image data of said plurality of imagescorrelated by said additional information to form a panoramic image. 8.A method of printing a picture from an image file having additionalinformation, said method comprising the steps of: capturing a pluralityof images by a camera to generate image data representing the pluralityof images; generating by the camera additional information whichtemporally or spatially correlates the image data of said plurality ofimages with each other; transferring said image data and said additionalinformation to an image reproduction system; combining the image data ofsaid plurality of images correlated by said additional informationtransferred with each other; and producing a visible image from saidcombined image data, wherein said step of capturing includes preparingthe image data representative of said plurality of images by taking asubject consecutively, and said step of combining includes superimposingthe image data of said plurality of images correlated by said additionalinformation to form a single picture.
 9. A method of printing a picturefrom an image file having additional information, said method comprisingthe steps of: capturing a plurality of images by a camera to generateimage data representing the plurality of images; generating by thecamera additional information which temporally or spatially correlatesthe image data of said plurality of images with each other; transferringsaid image data and said additional information to an image reproductionsystem; combining the image data of said plurality of images correlatedby said additional information transferred with each other; andproducing a visible image from said combined image data, wherein saidstep of capturing includes preparing the image data representative ofsaid plurality of images by taking a subject with different dynamicranges, and said step of combining includes combining the image data ofsaid plurality of images correlated by said additional information toform an image with a dynamic range broader than each of said differentdynamic ranges.
 10. A method of printing an image, comprising the stepsof: preparing an image file including image data representative of aplurality of images captured by a camera and additional informationwhich is generated by the camera and temporally or spatially correlatesthe image data of a the plurality of images with each other; combiningthe image data of the plurality of images correlated by said additionalinformation with each other; and producing a visible image from saidcombined image data, wherein combining the image data includingarranging the plurality of images based on the additional information,performing a correlation operation between overlapped portions, andcombining the plurality of images wherein correlation coefficients aremaximum.